Avoid These 5 Common Immigration Mistakes

By
Ashley Foret Dees Immigration Law
|June 29, 2016

Whether you are applying for an immigration visa for the first time or
renewing your residency once again, there are a number of mistakes you
can make that could result in your application being rejected. Avoiding
these negative consequences is critical because you may be required to
leave the United States if your process takes you beyond the expiration
date of your initial visa. By avoiding these errors, you can both increase
your chances of having your application accepted and decrease the amount
of time needed to for your application to process.

Include All Documents & Supporting Evidence (In English)

When you apply for an immigration visa, you will be required to submit
a number of various documents. In addition to the application form itself,
you may also be required to provide copies of your marriage certificate
(if you are married), your initial entry records (if you legally entered
the United States at the start of your visa), or your birth certificate.
You only need to submit copies of these documents unless the United States
government specifically requests that you send the originals. Your application
will specify if this is the case.

Additionally, any documents from your home country that may not be in English
must be translated, and the translation must be submitted with the document
as well as a certification from an approved translator. Any documents
that are not translated will be rejected, and your entire application
could be denied as a result.

Forgetting to Sign Your Application

While it may seem silly, a large number of applications are rejected every
single year due to a missing signature. Any applications that are not
signed are immediately rejected by the USCIS. Make sure you double and
triple-check that your application is signed in all necessary places.

Submitting an Incorrect Fee

You must submit a fee along with your immigration application, and this
fee must come in one of a very limited number of formats. The USCIS does
not accept cash of any kind or personal checks from a bank not based in
the United States. Only checks or money orders from U.S. institutions
will be accepted. Be sure you are paying the correct amount, as well—an
incorrect fee can cause your application to be rejected, which can force
you to have to restart the entire application process.

Not Knowing Your Criminal Record

When you are applying for immigration, you will be required to go through
an interview and you will be asked about your criminal record. While this
may not seem like a big deal, you will be required to know even the little
things, such as any traffic tickets you may have received.

You can get help with this by requesting a criminal history background
check from the FBI. This costs only $18 and allows you to see everything
that will still be listed on your record. Just because you have a criminal
record does not mean your application will automatically be denied, but
lying about or not knowing your record can cause your application to be
rejected. If any serious crime charges are present on your record, like
grand theft or murder charges, you will most likely have your application
denied as well.

Not Seeking Help

If you are looking to immigrate into the United States on a work, student,
or permanent residence visa, the process can often be complex and overwhelming
to try to work through alone. With so many different ways in which you
can make a mistake, the assistance of an attorney who is well-versed in
U.S. Immigration law can help ensure you complete the process accurately
and properly with as few mistakes or hold-ups as possible.

At
Ashley Forest Dees, LLC, our Louisiana immigration attorneys have helped thousands of clients with
various aspects of immigration law and nearly every type of visa distributed
by the U.S. government. We are proud to offer the attention and service
of a small firm with the resources and knowledge of a big institution,
providing our clients with resources and insight they need to meet their
immigration goals.

The information on this website is for general information purposes only.
Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual
case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt
or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.